Three Berry Pie (aka…The Hot Mess)

In my opinion, pie is best eaten hot out of the oven. And when you eat it hot out of the oven it falls apart into a mess of yumminess. It may not look pretty but it sure tastes delicious! You could be civil and wait for the pie to cool. Then when you cut it perhaps it would look like a slice of pie. But it also wouldn’t be warm and gooey. So, if you ask me, when you make this pie eat it immediately — then you will understand why we call it The Hot Mess!

Because I have yet to perfect an amazing pie crust, I “cheat” and use a pre-made crust….disturbing, I know. As soon as I perfect my crust (or better yet, get my mother-in-law’s recipe!), I will post a perfect homemade pie crust. Until then, this recipe calls for a pie crust of your choosing. How’s that for diplomacy!! Now on with the rest of the recipe…In a large mixing bowl, toss the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries with one tablespoon of fresh lemon juice. In a separate smaller bowl, blend the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together. Mix the dry ingredients with the fruit mixture and set aside.

For the crumb topping, blend together the rolled oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Slowly pour the melted butter into the topping mixture using a fork to blend.

Pour the fruit into the pie shell and evenly spread the crumb topping over the entire pie.

Bake at 375º for 40-45 minutes — the crumb topping will be a beautiful golden brown. Now, please dig in!! Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy The Hot Mess!!

Ingredients:

2 cups fresh blueberries
2 cups fresh strawberries, thinly sliced
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
¾ cup white sugar
3 tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg

For crumb topping:
½ cup rolled oats
½ cup brown sugar
½ cup flour
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp salt
¼ cup butter, melted

One pie crust

Tips for Success

Put a baking sheet on the rack under your pie. Berry pies love to bubble over, and a sheet pan saves you from scrubbing burnt juice off the oven floor.

If you are using a frozen store bought crust, let it thaw according to the package so it doesn’t crack when you fill it.

Mix the melted butter into the topping until it looks like damp, clumpy crumbs. Those clumps turn into the best crunchy bits.

Check the pie at 40 minutes. If the crust edges are browning faster than the topping, loosely cover them with strips of foil for the rest of the bake.

Ingredient Swaps and Variations

• Frozen berries work in the off season. Use them straight from the freezer without thawing, and plan on adding 10 to 15 minutes to the bake time.
• Blackberries are a delicious swap for any of the three berries.
• Add a handful of chopped pecans or walnuts to the crumb topping for extra crunch.
• Swap the nutmeg for a pinch of ground ginger or cardamom.

Make Ahead and Storage

You can mix the crumb topping up to 2 days ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. A baked fruit pie is fine at room temperature, loosely covered, for up to 2 days. After that, move it to the refrigerator, where it keeps for about 2 more days. To bring back that hot mess magic, warm a slice in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes or in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds.

How to Serve It

Since you are eating it hot, a big scoop of vanilla ice cream melting into the berries is pretty much required in my house. Whipped cream is lovely too. Serve it in shallow bowls rather than on plates, because this pie is going to run all over the place, and that is exactly the point!

Frequently Asked Questions

What if I want neat slices?

Let the pie cool on a rack for at least 3 hours so the filling can set. You will get pretty slices, though you will miss out on The Hot Mess.

Do I need to prebake the crust?

No. The crust bakes right along with the filling and the crumb topping.

Can I make this in a deep dish pie plate?

Yes, a deep dish crust holds all those berries nicely. It may need a few extra minutes, so bake until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling.

Mandy

Three Berry Pie (The Hot Mess)

A juicy blueberry, strawberry and raspberry pie with a cinnamon oat crumb topping, best eaten hot from the oven.

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Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins

Servings: 8 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

Filling

• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 2 cups fresh strawberries thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1 pie crust homemade or store bought

Crumb Topping

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup butter melted

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In a large bowl, toss the blueberries, strawberries and raspberries with the lemon juice.
3. In a smaller bowl, blend the sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg, then mix into the fruit and set aside.
4. For the topping, blend the oats, brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Slowly pour in the melted butter, mixing with a fork.
5. Pour the fruit into the pie shell and spread the crumb topping evenly over the entire pie.
6. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the crumb topping is golden brown.
7. Dig in while it is hot!